The final days of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa can now be pieced together after police revealed heartbreaking handwritten notes the pair left as well as a concerning Google search history.

On February 26, Hollywood was shook following news that the 95-year-old Oscar-winning actor and his 65-year-old classical pianist wife-of-33-years were found dead at their sprawling Santa Fe estate, in New Mexico.

According to officials, Arakawa was the first to die, believed to be on February 12 after calling Cloudberry Health to arrange a doctor’s appointment, with her body discovered on the bathroom floor next to an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the counter top.

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Chief medical examiner Dr Heather Jarrell confirmed her cause of death was Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) – a rare infectious disease linked to rodents.

Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman pictured together back in 1991 (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

A timeline of their deaths shows that just under a week later, the last recorded activity came from Hackman’s pacemaker on February 18 – meaning he would have been living in his home alongside his wife’s corpse for days before his death.

Fortunately, it is understood that he wouldn’t have known that this was the case having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s which had tragically advanced greatly.

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While concluding the cause of death, Jarrell confirmed: “The cause of death for Mr. Gene Hackman, aged 95 years, is hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor.”

One of their three pet dogs, called Zinna, was also found dead at the scene.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed: “On February 9, 2025 she picked up Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital.

“There was a procedure that was done with the dog, which may explain why the dog was in a crate at the residence.”

Handwritten notes

Now, handwritten notes that the pair would leave each other have been released which detail how the pair navigated their lives with Hackman’s dementia.

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The notes were affectionate (Sante Fe Police Department)

Authorities in northern New Mexico released dozens of documents and photographs of the love notes the pair would write to each other.

The images show Hackman referred to his wife as ‘lovely girl’ and was affectionate with his letters, signing them with ‘Love G’.

“Morning lovely girl, thinking of you and the other little guys. Love G,” read one note.

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One particularly tear-jerking note shows Hackman apologizing for needing his wife’s help in organizing her own birthday – with her last taking place two months before their deaths, on December 15.

“Good morning. Happy several days after your birthday. Sorry still about the dinner and having to ask for your help, although it was appreciated,” the note read, before he signed it off: “Love you and the guys, G.”

Arakawa was a carer for Hackman as he battled Alzheimer’s, which one note seemed to show he was aware of.

“Ho, Ho, I am off to see the Wizard, the Wizz of Achie, Pokie. She stabs me here and stabs me there, she stabs me almost everywhere (almost).

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Hackman seemed to make reference to his own illness (Santa Fe Police Department)

“But I survive because after [sic] I am still alive. (But some times just barely),” he added before his signature sign-off.

In another, he appeared to have informed Arakawa that he was off out on an errand and made a joke at his own forgetfulness.

“I’m going down to that building out past the hot water place where you sit, and do whatever it is that people are supposed to do in such a building – maybe I’ll remember once I get down there.

“Love, what’s his name,” he added.

Meanwhile, Arakawa’s notes reveal that she often left her husband jigsaw puzzles to tackle while she was running errands.

On February 10, two days before the pianist is thought to have passed away, Arakawa Googled ‘can Covid cause dizziness?’ as well as a search for ‘flu and nosebleeds’.

Arakawa is believed to have phoned her massage therapist the next day to cancel an appointment, explaining Hackman was experiencing ‘flu/cold-like symptoms’ but that he had tested negative for Covid-19.

She also ordered oxygen canisters on Amazon to assist with ‘respiratory support’, while police have previously stated Arakawa made multiple calls to a heath clinic for medical treatment.

Hackman and Arakawa had celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary just two month before their death (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

Since Arakawa’s passing two months ago, three other Americans have died from the virus in a small town in California.

Dr Tom Boo, Mono County Public Health Officer, said in a statement issued earlier this month: “A third case of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), each of which has been fatal, is tragic and alarming.

“We don’t have a clear sense of where this young adult may have contracted the virus. The home had no evidence of mouse activity. We observed some mice in the workplace, which is not unusual for indoor spaces this time of year in Mammoth Lakes.

“We haven’t identified any other activities in the weeks before illness that would have increased this person’s exposure to mice or their droppings. We’ve been aware of this suspected case for some weeks, but it has taken time to obtain testing.”

Dr Boo added: “The occurrence of three cases in a short period has me worried, especially this early in the year. Historically, we tend to see Hantavirus cases later in the spring and in the summer. We’ve now gone about a month without any additional suspect cases, but remain concerned about the increase in activity.”